<p>For me , it’s going to buy something ,only to find it’s been discontinued ! This happens alot !</p>
<p>I can’t remember names off the top of my head any more. I sometimes even draw a blank on the names of co-workers. The other day I tried to yell at my cat to stop doing something and I couldn’t even come up with Daisy’s name!</p>
<p>Oh. Where to begin?</p>
<p>Neck pain (probably arthritis)
Spider veins
Going to the movies with a friend and having the little teeny bopper girl at the ticket counter ask if we wanted “you know, like, regular adult tickets”. </p>
<p>What was she implying?</p>
<p>I find the 50s to be a wonderful time of life but a major part of it being wonderful is being in good shape which I’ve put a lot of effort into the past two years.</p>
<p>You have knowledge, wisdom, experience, relationships, skills and a bit more time for recreation.</p>
<p>Well, at 56, I love menopause. (Can I call it menostop? More like the truth.) My knees hurt all the bleeping time and it’s really tough to lose the weight I need to lose to make them hurt less (but I’m getting there). I am happy where I live and don’t feel the pressure to “make something of myself” that I used to feel.</p>
<p>And I love the reservoir of knowledge I’ve established. I know who to call (email) with questions about just about any topic. I know what grows well in my garden and what’s a challenge. (Literally, and also metaphorically.)</p>
<p>Answering the question: toughest challenge is my knees. I may have to replace them if I can’t get my act together to heal them.</p>
<p>Feeling less useful than I did in my 40s or 30s. My kids are grown and working now, and my parents are gone, so my family responsibilities have diminished. At the same time, our financial situation is more stable than it used to be, so the money I earn from my job is less significant now than it was then.</p>
<p>It’s nice that I have more free time now; I have several decades worth of reading to catch up on. But that’s not a substitute for feeling useful to my family.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Oh, yes.</p>
<p>chin hairs!</p>
<p>It’s the realization that I’m not a kid anymore – that I am the same age as my spouse’s parents when I met them (and they were “old” – in my eyes, anyway – at the time).</p>
<p>The hot flashes are getting annoying, too.</p>
<p>I will go with hot flashes too; especially in 95 degree heat. Tummy weight that won’t shift and not being able to scramble to my feet quickly.</p>
<p>I used to have excellent memory and now I found that I do forget some minor things. The knowledge that my health will only get worse and not better scares me.</p>
<p>Brain cramps. The knowledge is still there but the instant recall is dwindling fast. Back in my early 40s I was a champion on Jeopardy; today I’d get my butt kicked.</p>
<p>Just that it takes longer for things to mend. I twisted my ankle last week. In my 40’s I’d already be able to play hopscotch. Not so now.</p>
<p>Literally, just saying or writing that “50” number. Very difficult to accept! (in my mind, it is IMPOSSIBLE that I am that age!)</p>
<p>I must have really looked bad last week. Stopped at the bagel shop to buy goodies for someone under the weather and thought the price was really good…looked at the receipt in the parking lot and they gave me the senior discount!!!</p>
<p>Great thread fauxmaven.</p>
<p>Agree with chin hairs. Back pain is worse than the chin hairs. For my 50th birthday, the woman I consider my very best friend ever in life gave me a magnifying mirror. So, so scary.</p>
<p>And ladies–if you don’t color your hair, those youngun’s think you are older than you are. Gray hair= senior discount. Two friends who are younger than I am have been asked about the senior discount. Both of them have nice faces, but the kids don’t get past the hair. Yes. I color my hair.</p>
<p>I just turned 49 but here’s what’s bugging me the most:</p>
<p>1) knowing that it’s all downhill from here. Not that I expect to be incapacitated anytime in the next 20 years but it’s a little scary to realize that there are permanent changes occurring in your body and you can do nothing about it - for example, needing reading glasses. </p>
<p>2) The race to stay young looking. In some of the circles I travel, the women are starting to go full on with the Botox, facelifts, fillers, etc. It saddens me to think that in order to be considered attractive in the future, I will probably have to submit myself to toxins and surgery. Not saying I’m going to do it but that’s what many women are doing. Am really struggling with the question of whether my fading looks are important enough for me to go to those extremes or can I just accept that I am aging and try to do it as gracefully as possible.</p>
<p>had surgery on left knee in 2010; right knee, right ankle 2011; now left foot is killing me. </p>
<p>Good grief! I still want to water ski, play tennis, chase my grandson around!!</p>
<p>And, by the way, that last part is the AWESOME part about being in my 50s: my grandson!!</p>
<p>My cousin, who was more like a sister to me, passed away from breast cancer just before she turned 49. She wanted so to have grandbabies…to survive into her 50s and see her kids live their own adult lives. She had a strong faith, yet still she yearned for these things, of course. So every time I am tempted to grouse, I think of her and try to live that day a little better…</p>
<p>We can have a big catch-up time later on. :)</p>
<p>^ That really puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?</p>
<p>That’s sad about your cousin, churchmusicmom.</p>
<p>I find that its harder to lose weight, I dont sleep well, and my knees hurt more than they used to. That said, I get told I look younger than I am, so I’ll take it!</p>
<p>I’m not quite there, but I have a friend about to turn 50, and she’s freaking out. She acts like she’s falling apart. I’d love to tell her to do something about all her little aches and pains – like losing that 20 pounds she’s always talking about – but I’m keeping my mouth shut.</p>